COVINGTON, La. – Louisiana is, by and large, a state that welcomes new oil and gas projects. This comes as no surprise – the industry provides jobs for residents and a substantial tax base for the state treasury. From 20-year-old tax exemptions to the recent passage of Senate Bill 469, which blocks lawsuits against 97 oil and gas companies, the industry is secure and welcome in the state.

NEW ORLEANS – Oil giant BP PLC has filed a motion to have Patrick Juneau removed as claims administrator in the Deepwater Horizon oil spill litigation, arguing that he is biased and has not been forthcoming about potential conflicts of interest.

Houston-based Halliburton Energy Services – a subcontractor on BP’s Deepwater Horizon oil rig – has agreed to pay more than $1 billion to settle claims from coastal businesses that were damaged from the 2010 rig explosion and oil spill.

NEW ORLEANS – Former FBI director Louis Freeh, who has investigated claims of fraud in the Deepwater Horizon oil spill claims process, released a statement days after he was seriously injured in a single car accident in Vermont.

Three men say they have not received money owed to them following a lengthy court battle.Rodney D. Vannerson, Enos Cabell and Tom Roberson filed a lawsuit Aug. 7 in U.S. Court for the Houston Division of the Southern District of Texas against Vincent Paul Young Jr., Vincent Young and Delphine M. James. In the complaint, the plaintiffs allege they originally were named as defendants in a case in which

A software manufacturing company has filed suit against a business it says is utilizing the company's software without a license.Siemens Product Lifecycle Management Software, of Plano, says it developed a product called NX 8, which assists with product design, manufacturing and simulation. At some point, Siemens alleges it discovered BTL Machine, of Corona, Calif., was using its NX 8 software without